Feed roll release means for power presses



July 30, 1963 F. E. MUNSCHAUER, JR., EIAL 3,099,180

FEED ROLL RELEASE MEANS FOR POWER PRESSES Filed Aug. 29, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ORNEYS.

July 30, 1963 F. E. MUNSCHAUER, JR., ETAL 3,

FEED ROLL RELEASE MEANS FOR POWER PRESSES Filed Aug. 29, 1957 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3. Fig.4.

r1 l I I L i=2 A r 1 l l 1 l L Q 50 27 INVENTORS fmderzclsflflunschauon in BY GeorgeE/fzmschauoh ATTORNEYS y 1963 F. E. MUNSCHAUER, JR., ETAL 3,099,180

FEED ROLL RELEASE MEANS FOR POWER PRESSES Filed Aug. 29, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY acu-nv s. PLATOU ATTORNEVS.

3,099,180 FEED R011. RELEASE MEANS FUR POWER PRESSES Frederick E. Mnnschauer, In, and George E. Munschauer,

Eggertsville, and Leiv S. Platou, Snyder, N .Y., nssignors to Niagara Machine 8: Tool Works, Bufialo, N.Y.

Filed Aug. 29, 1957, Ser. No. 681,079 1.1 Claims. (Cl. 83-230) This invention relates to the power press art and more particularly to an arrangement for controlling roll feed mechanisms which are commonly employed in conjunction with such presses for feeding more or less continuous strips of sheet material to the die mechanism of the press, particularly in high speed press operation.

Power press roll feeds are well known and commonly employed adjuncts to power presses when coils or rolls of continuous strip metal are used for feeding the dies of such presses. Automatic roll feed mechanism are particularly advantageous in high speed automatic power press operation which has come into wide use at the present time. Conventional roll feeds are commercially available and are adaptable for use with power presses of various manufacture. The present invention is concerned particularly with the manner in which the rolls of such a feed mechanism are correlated with the operation of a power press and accordingly the details of the feed roll mechanism itself need not be shown in detail.

The feed roll mechanism illustrated generally herein and referred to by way of example is manufactured and offered commercially by F. J. Littell Machine Company of Chicago, 'Illinois, and the general construction and operation of the feed mechanism is illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 1,858,403 to Littell, dated May 17, 1932; No. 1,947,015 to Littell, dated February 13, 1934; No. 2,315,446 to Miller et a, dated March 30, 1943; No. 2,753,l83 to Wiig et 211., dated July 3, 1956; and No. 2,758,837 to Littell et 211., dated August 14, 1956.

In most instances roll feed mechanisms are employed which comprise feeding means at both sides of a power press so that a. strip of work material is both fed into and drawn from the die space of the press. Occasionally, as when the stamping operation is such that no continuous strip of scrap material issues from the die space of the press, the feed maybe only by means of rolls at the side of the press where the strip enters the die space. The principles of the present invention apply equally to either of the foregoing conventional arrangements as well as in the less usual case when a feed roll mechanism may be used at only the scrap discharge side of the press.

It is highly desirable that the work strip, which is being fed to and/ or drawn from the die space by driven pressure rolls, be released from such rolls for a predetermined time in the cycle of press operation to permit the die mechanism to perform its work upon the strip. More particularly, after the work strip is fed to a proper or an approximate point or position for a stamping operation, and after the movable element of the die has begun its approach to the stationary die member, it is desirable that the work strip be released from the feed rolls so that the die mechanism itself may take over and perform the final and accurate strip locating function which is commonly a part of the operation of the die mechanism, particularly in the case of progressive dies.

This release of the strip from the rolls need be only of sufiicient duration to permit the strip locating pins of the die mechanism to engage a work piece and accurately locate the same relative to the die mechanism. In general, the rolls may be caused to again grip the work strip at some time prior to the complete release of the work piece by the punch or stripper elements or the locating sgaaaiso Patented July 30, 163

pins of the die mechanism. Thus both the beginning and the end of the roll release period depend upon the particular die arrangement, design and operation and therefore means for readily selecting the duration of the roll release period and the exact time of its beginning and termination is an important consideration and provides a very important advantage in roll feed operation.

The release of the feed rolls during the actual stamping operation has heretofore been proposed but has usually been eifected by a more or less makeshift arrangement comprising an abutment member carried by the vertically movable slide of the press, either directly or through air Valves operated by such an abutment member. A great deal of wear is involved in a roll release arrangement of this type, as well as in further types wherein movement of the slide controls a microswitch or other device which actuates the roll releasing mechanism. Other feed roll controls involve solenoid air valves operated by a cam on a rotary limit switch but operation of controls of this type is difficult to control with the desired accuracy.

Furthermore, most roll releases of the prior art, both the foregoing types and others, are such that the duration of roll release is not readily adjustable and is so arranged that the release and re-engagement of the feed rolls necessarily occurs at corresponding points in the down and up strokes of the slide of the press.

The roll release arrangement of the present invention is such that the releasing action is accomplished by a direct downward force on the roll release arms and without the abruptness inherent in prior art devices and by means of a smooth eccentric action which is much safer and subject to much less wear of the associated parts than in the case of prior devices.

Furthermore, the arrangement of the present invention is such that the duration of the time cycle of roll release may be adjusted from floor level and may be set to begin and end at independently predetermined points in the time cycle. That is, the roll releasing cycle need not end at a point exactly corresponding to the beginning point but on the reverse stroke of the press, as in most arrangements of the prior art. Still further, the present invention provides means whereby identical roll release adjustments may be produced at opposite sides of a press without the usual cut-and-try adjustment and a given setup may, by noting the calibration of the adjusting means, be reproduced at a later time as required.

A single embodiment of the principles of the present invention is illustrated in the drawing and described in the following specification but it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to such embodiment or otherwise than as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a general front elevational view of a power press having feed roll mechanisms at opposite sides there of for feeding strip material through the die space of the press and showing, in combination with the press and the roll feed mechanisms, one form of the roll lifter actuating means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken in the same direction as FIG. 2 but on a substantially larger scale showing the eccentric mechanism of the roll lifter actuating means of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the structure of FIG. 3 taken on a vertical central plane; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view partly in cross section showing one form of feed roll driving means;

FIG. 6 is a similar view showing the timing arrangement for the feed roll driving means; and

aoearso FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken along a vertical plane extending through the axes of the feed rolls of one of the roll feed units showing the drive thereof.

Like characters of reference denote likeparts throughout the several figures of the drawings. The power press illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is of the conventional straight side type having a bed 1t side columns 11 and 12 and a crown or superstructure 13. A crankshaft 14 journaled in the crown 13 is provided with the usual cranks 15 for driving a vertical slide 16 by way of connections 17. Of course the crankshaft may in some instance comprise an eccentric or other shaft for reciprocating the slide 16 and may be referred to more generically as a main shaft.

In FIG. 1 the roll feed mechanism at the feed side of the press is designated generally by the numeral 2!) and the roll feed mechanism at the scrap discharge side of the press is designated generally by the numeral 21. These mechanisms are interconnected by a cross shaft (not shown), at the rear of the power press for synchronous rotation of their feed rolls, this structure being conventional and substantially as illustrated in Patents No. 1,858,403 and 1,947,015, referred to above.

In the present instance the rolls of the feed roll mechanisms 20 and 211 are driven by a crank connection shown fragmentarily at 2.3 in FIG. 1 which connects downwardly with the feed roll mechanism '21 at the discharge side of the press, likewise in a conventional manner, generally as illustrated in Littell Patent No. 1,947,015, dated February 13, 1934, wherein the drive to the feed rolls is by way of a rack mechanism and an overrunnin-g clutch.

A representative mechanism for feeding various desired lengths of stock for each cycle of press operation will now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, although it is to be understood that such means for intermittently rotating the feed rolls for this purpose are well known in this art and the instrumentalities illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are substantially the same as disclosed in Littell Patent 1,947,015 and are illustrated and described herein merely to render the disclosure complete.

Referring particularly to FIGS. and 6, a disc 69 is fixed to a reduced end of main drive shaft 14 and has circumferentially extending arc-uate slots 61. Screws 63 pass through slots 61 and thread into a crank disc 65- whereby the latter is normally fixed coaxially to mounting disc 60 but is angularly adjustable relative thereto by loosening screws 63.

As shown in FIG. 5, crank disc 65 has a diametral T-slot 66 which receives the head of a T-bolt 67 and the latter is adjustable along slot 66 by means of a screw device 68 whereby the eccentricity of the axis of T-bolt 67 is adjustable relative to the axis of crank disc 65, the latter being coaxial with respect to mounting disc 6% and the main drive shaft 14 of the press.

A rod member 70 has a bearing fitting '71 at its upper end which is pivoted on the shank of T-bolt 67 and the other end of rod 70 comprises a rack 72 in mesh with a pinion '73 which is mounted upon a cross shaft 74 which extends transversely of the press rearwardly of the feed roll unit or units, depending on whether one or two such units are employed. The mounting of pinion 73 on cross shaft 74 is by way of an over-running or one way clutch of any desired type, such as that shown in FIGS. and 11 of Littell Patent 1,947,015, so that reciprocation of rack 72 in one direction causes rotation of cross shaft 74 whereas reciprocation of the rack in tion of pinion 73 does not rotate cross shaft 74.

Referring to FIG. 7, cross shaft 74 is connected to a lower feed roll shaft 75 of each of the feed roll mechanisms and 21, or of one such mechanism if only one is used, by meshing helical gears 77 and 78, to impart synchronous intermittent uni-directional rotation to both feed roll shafts 75, if two such units are being eml ployed. Obviously the angular degree of such uni-directional rotation of a feed roll for each cycle of press operation depends upon the eccentricity of T-bolt 67, which comprises the crank pin, as determined by the setting of screw 68, which eccentricity in turn determines the length of the working stroke of rack 72.

However, regardless of the amount of angular feed of the feed roll or feed rolls, such feeding rotation always occurs during exactly 180* degrees of rotation of the main shaft 14 of the press since the rack 72 moves downwardly during 180 degrees of main shaft rotation and upwardly during the other 180 degrees of main shaft rotation. In order to feed the strip with no possibility of interference with the actual pressing portion of the cycle of operation the crank disc 65 is normally adjusted so that feeding movement occurs during the last degrees of upward movement of the press slide or ram and the first 90 degrees of downward movement.

This timing of the feeding may be adjusted within certain limits by means of the slots '61 and screws 63 shown in FIG. 6 but whatever this adjustment may be the total feeding time will still occupy exactly 180 degrees of the press cycle. For instance, if the feeding is adjusted to commence degrees before top dead center of the main shaft rotation, then such feeding will continue until 70 degrees after top dead center. In other words, the feeding period will always be exactly one half of the angular extent of rotation of the main shaft 14.

The numeral 24 designates generally an actuator for a scrap cutter arrangement associated with the discharge feed roll mechanism '31, this being likewise a conventional adjunct of feed roll mechanisms of the general type contemplated herein, as illustrated in US. Patent No. 2,268,- 0 52 to Miller, dated December 30*, 1941 The feed roll mechanisms 2% and 2 1 are conventionally provided with rock arms designated 26 and 27, respectively, which, when pressed downwardly from the positions illustrated in FIG. 1, separate the feed rolls to release the sheet passing between the same. The feed rolls are normally resiliently biased into sheet gripping engagement. The details of construction and operation of the feed roll mechanism lifting devices which are operated upon by the arms 26 and 27 are conventional and may be similar to those illustrated in the Letters Patent referred to in the preamble hereto.

The present invention is concerned with the means for imparting downward movements to the rock arms 26 and 27 from the drive mechanism of the power press and for readily controlling and adjusting such movements to secure roll separating movements of precisely regulated duration and which begin and end at independently predetermined points in the cycle of press operation.

A pair of eccentric mounting shafts designated 38 and 3 1 are mounted in the opposed side walls of the hollow side columns 11 and 12, respectively, for free rotation. The shafts 3t and 31 are arranged for synchronous rotation with the crankshaft or main shaft 14 of the press and 'with each other, in the present instance, by chain and sprocket connections 32 and 33, respectively, which connect crankshaft 14 or main shaft with the eccentric shafts 311 and 31 as shown in FIG. 1. This connection may be efiected by means of a gear train or other power transmission means.

The means operating between the eccentric shafts 3i and 3 1 and the roll separating arms 27 and 26, respectively, are the same at opposite sides of the press and a detailed illustration and description of one suffices for both. Referring particularly to FIG. 4, an eccentric member 35- is mounted at the outer end of shaft Pill for rotatable adjustment thereon and in the present instance the eccentric member 35- abuts at its inner faces against an enlargement 36 on the eccentric shaft 369. The outer portion of the member 35 is provided with an annular enlargement 3 7 which has an internal beveled face 35.

An annular member 39 is keyed to the outer end of each of the shafts 30 and 31 as at 40 and has a beveled external periphery "42: which fits the internal bevel 33 of eccentric member 35. When the parts are in operating condition a nut 43 which engages a threaded outer end of eccentric shaft 39 bears against annular member 39 to clamp the same .and the eccentric member 35 between shaft enlargement 36 and nut 43 to hold the beveled surfaces 38 and 4 2 in secure engagement. Eccentric member 35 has an eccentric external peripheral portion 45' which is thus secured in a predetermined angular position relative to eccentric shaft 39.

A radial anti-friction bearing 46 is mounted upon the eccentric peripheral portion 45 of eccentric member 35 and an eccentric strap 47 is mounted upon the external periphery of the anti-friction bearing 46. If the angular relationship of the eccentric member 35 relative to shaft 30 is to be adjusted, nut 43 is loosened slightly and eccentric member 35 is rotated relative to shaft 30 and annular member 39, which may be accomplished conveniently by means of a wrench engaging in spanner holes 50 of the annular enlargement 37 of the eccentric member.

The foregoing changes of the top dead center of the eccentric member 35 relative to the top dead center of the drive shaft or crankshaft 14 of the press and thus, in conjunction with the adjustable connection mechanism about to be described, determines the beginning and ending points of the separation of the feed rolls and thus determines both the duration and the timing of such separation.

If these two top dead centers be set to occur simultaneously, then the roll separation will begin and end at equal angular distances from the bottom of the press stroke, whereas by adjusting the angular position of the eccentric member 35 the relative points of occurrence of the beginning and ending of the roll separation may be varied at will. In effect, adjustment of the eccentric 35 varies the location of the midpoint of the angle which represents the roll separation period, while adjustment of the following play connection mechanism varies the amplitude of the angle by varying the effective length of the play connection so that by joint adjustment of the two devices any beginning and ending points of roll separation may be selected.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the eccentric strap 47 has a downwardly extending internally threaded sleeve 50 and the roll separating arm 27 is pivotally connected to an upwardly extending eye-bolt 51 which terminates upwardly in a hollow sleeve portion 52. A screw 53 threads into sleeve portion 50 and has an enlargement 54 which is adapted to abut the upper end of hollow sleeve portion 52 in certain phases of operation, as will presently appear. Screw 53 has a further lower stem portion 55 which merely slides in the upper end of hollow sleeve portion 52.

By loosening a lock nut 54 screw 53 may be threaded into sleeve portion 50 a greater or lesser amount and as screw 53 threads upwardly into sleeve portion 50 the enlargement 54' moves farther upwardly from the upper end of enlarged sleeve portion 52. Thus more of the downward movement of the eccentric strap 47 is used up idly in the play connection before the enlargement 54 presses downwardly against the upper end of enlarged sleeve portion 52.

Since downward movement of the arm 26 or 27, as the case may be, releases or separates the rolls, the period of roll release will be greater or less as the enlargement 54' is adjusted upwardly and downwardly. This adjustment is correlated with angular adjustment of the eccentric member 35 as described above to establish any independently selected beginning and ending points of roll separation.

As will be noted from FIG. 3, the face of each of the enlargements 37 of the eccentric members 35 are prefer- 6 ably calibrated as at 58 which makes it possible to duplicate settings of the eccentric members at opposite sides of the press and facilitates reproducing a given setting from time to time for a given manufacturing setup.

We claim:

1. In combination with a power press, feed rolls adapted to feed sheet material thereto, a mechanical drive connection between said power press drive means and said feed rolls for rotating the latter intermittently between material pressing portions of operating cycles, means for adjusting said drive connection to vary said intermittent rotation to adjust the length of material thus fed between each operating cycle, and means operable to release the roll feed from sheet material engagement for predetermined independently adjustable time periods between feeding cycles comprising a roll release shaft driven from said power press in timed relation with operating cycles thereof, an eccentric on said shaft, and means connecting the same with said release means for opera-ting the latter, said eccentric including means for angularly adjusting the same on said shaft for varying the timing of the release operating means with respect to the press operating cycle, said connecting means including means for adjusting the effective length thereof to vary the relative duration of the release period. I

2. In combination with a power press, feed rolls adapted to feed sheet material thereto, a mechanical drive connection between said power press drive means and said feed rolls for rotating the latter intermittently between material pressing portions of operating cycles, means for adjusting said drive connection to vary said intermittent rotation to adjust the length of material thus fed between each operating cycle, and means operable to release the roll feed from sheet material engagement for predetermined independently adjustable time periods between feeding cycles comprising a roll release shaft driven from said power press in timed relation with operating cycles thereof, an eccentric on said shaft, and means connecting the same with said release means for operating the latter, said eccentric including means for angularly adjusting the same on said shaft for varying the timing of the release operating means with respect to the press operating cycle, said connecting means including a play connection, and means for adjusting said play connection to vary the duration of the release period.

3. In combination with a power press, independently selective roll feed mechanisms at opposite sides thereof driven synchronously therefrom and adapted to feed sheet material intermittently thereto between material pressing portions of operating cycles, said roll feed mechanisms including means operable to release the roll feeds from sheet material engagement for predetermined adjustable time periods between feeding cycles, roll release shafts at opposite sides of said press driven synchronously therefrom in timed relation with operating cycles thereof, eccentric on each of said shafts, and means connecting the same with said release means for operating the latter, said eccentrics including means for angularly adjusting the same on said shafts for varying the timing of the release operating means with respect to the press operating cycle.

4. In combination with a power press, independently selective roll feed mechanisms at opposite sides thereof driven synchronously therefrom and adapted to feed sheet material intermittently thereto between material pressing portions of operating cycles, said roll feed mechanisms including means operable to release the roll feeds from sheet material engagement for predetermined ad justable time periods between feeding cycles, roll release shafts at opposite sides of said press driven synchronously therefrom in timed relation with operating cycles thereof, eccentrics on each of said shafts, and means connecting the same with said release means for operating the latter, said eccentrics including means for angularly adjusting the same on said shafts for varying the I timing of the release operating means with respect to the press operating cycle, said connecting means including means for adjusting the effective length thereof to vary the relative duration of the release period.

5. In combination with a power press, independently selective roll feed mechanisms at opposite sides thereof driven synchronously therefrom and adapted to feed sheet material intermittently thereto between material pressing portions of operating cycles, said roll feed mecha nisms including means operable to release the roll feeds from sheet material engagement for predetermined adjustable time periods between feeding cycles, roll release shafts at opposite sides of said press driven synchronously therefrom in timed relation with operating cycles thereof, eccentrics on each of said shafts, and means connecting the same with said release means for operating the latter, said eccentrics including means for angularly adjusting the same on said shafts for varying the timing of the release operating means with respect to the press operating cycle, said connecting means including a play connection, and means for adjusting said play connection to vary the duration of the release period.

6. In combination with a power press, feed rolls adapted to feed sheet material thereto, a mechanical drive connection between said power press drive means and said feed rolls for rotating the latter intermittently between material pressing portions of operating cycles, means for adjusting said drive connection to vary said intermittent rotation to adjust the length of material thus fed between each operating cycle, and means operable to release the roll feed from sheet material engagement for predetermined independently adjustable time periods between feeding cycles comprising a roll release shaft driven from said power press in timed relation with operating cycles thereof, an eccentric on said shaft, play connection means between the eccentric and said release means for operating the latter, and means for adjusting the play connection means to vary the relative duration of the release period, said eccentric including means for angularly adjusting the same on said shaft for varying the timing of the release operating means with respect to the press operating cycle.

7. In combination with a power press, independently selective roll feed mechanisms at opposite sides thereof driven synchronously therefrom and adapted to feed sheet material intermittently thereto between material pressing portions of operating cycles, said roll feed mechanisms including means operable to release the roll feeds from sheet material engagement for predetermined adjustable time periods between feeding cycles, roll release shafts at opposite sides of said press driven synchronously therefrom in timed relation with operating cycles thereof, eccentrics on said shafts, play connection means between the eccentrics and said release means for operating the latter, and means for adjusting the play connection means to vary the relative duration of the release period, said eccentrics including means for angularly adjusting the same on said shafts for varying the timing of the release operating means with respect to depress operating cycle.

8; In combination with a power press, feed rolls adapted to feed sheet material thereto, a mechanical drive connection between said power press drive means and said feed rolls for rotating the latter intermittently between material pressing portions of operating cycles, means for adjusting said drive connection to vary said intermittent rotation to adjust the length of material thus fed between each operating cycle, and means operable to release the roll feed from sheet material engagement for predetermined independently adjustable time periods between feeding cycles comprising a roll release shaft driven from said power press in timed relation with operating cycles thereof, an eccentric adapted to be driven by said shaft, means connecting the eccentric with said release means for operating the latter, selectively releasable friction clutch means between said shaft and said eccentric for 8 angularly adjusting the eccentric relative to said shaft for varying the timing of the release operating means with respect to the press operating cycle, said connecting means including means for adjusting the effective length thereof to vary the relative duration of the release period.

9.111 combination with a power press, feed rolls adapted to feed sheet material thereto, a mechanical drive connection between said power press drive means and said feed rolls for rotating the latter intermittently between material pressing portions of operating cycles, means for adjusting said drive connection to vary said intermittent rotation to adjust the length of material thus fed between each operating cycle, and means operable to release the roll feed from sheet material engagement for predetermined independently adjustable time periods between feeding cycles comprising a roll release shaft driven from said power press in timed relation with operating cycles thereof, an eccentric adapted to be driven by said shaft, means connecting the eccentric with said release means for operating the latter, selectively releasable friction clutch means between said shaft and said eccentric for angularly adjusting the eccentric relative to said shaft for varying the timing of the release operating means with respect to the press operating cycle, said connecting means including a play connection, and means for adjusting said play connection to vary the duration of the release period.

10. In combination, a power press having a pair of side columns, a slide reciprocable therebetween, a main shaft journaled above said slide and rotatable to reciprocate the same, independently selective roll feed mechanisms disposed adjacent to said side columns at opposite sides of said press and driven intermittently synchronously from said main shaft for feeding sheet material to said power press between pressing operations, said roll feed mechanisms including means movable to release the same from sheet material engagement for predetermined adjustable time periods between feeding operations, roll release shafts journaled in each of said side columns and having portions within the same beneath said main shaft, drive means connecting said main shaft and said roll release shafts for synchronous rotation, an eccentric on each of said roll release shafts extcriorly of said side column, and means connecting said eccentrics and said roll feed releasing means for operation of the latter in timed relation with respect to said power press main shaft.

11. In combination, a, power press having a pair of side columns, a slide reciprocable therebetween, a main shaft journaled above said slide and rotatable to reciprocate the same, roll feed mechanism disposed adjacent to one of said side columns, a mechanical drive connection between said main shaft and said roll feed mechanism for driving the latter intermittently between pressing portions of operating cycles of said press, means for adjusting said drive connection to vary said intermittent drive to adjust the length of material thus fed between operating cycles, said roll feed mechanism including means movable to release the same from sheet material engagement for predetermined adjustable time periods between feeding operations, a roll release shaft journaled in said side column and having a portion within the same beneath said main shaft, drive means connecting said main shaft and said roll release shaft for synchronous rotation, an eccentric on said roll release shaft exteriorly of said side column and means for angularly adjusting the same relative to said roll release shaft for varying the timing of the roll feed release means relative to said main shaft, means connecting said eccentric and said roll feed release means for operation of the latter from the former, and means for adjusting the effective length of said connecting means to vary the duration of the release period.

(l ieferenccs on foiiowing page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hayes Apr. 30, 1889 Beyer Sept. 25, 1906 Eden May 21, 1907 Wtiis June 7, 1910 Baker Oct. 14, 1913 Simmons Oct. 13, 1914 10 Robertson July 2, 1929 Littell May 17, 1932 Littell Feb. 13, 1934 Woodington Dec. 9, 1941 Pit-t et a1. Jan. 4, 1944 Gilbert =et a1. Apr. 26, 1949 Lefere Oct. 14, 1952 Kuhl June 26, 1956 Wiig July 31, 1 956 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A POWER PRESS, FEED ROLLS ADAPTED TO FEED SHEET MATERIAL THERETO, A MECHANICAL DRIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID POWER PRESS DRIVE MEANS AND SAID FEED ROLLS FOR ROTATING THE LATTER INTERMITENLY BETWEEN MATERIAL PRESSING PORTIONS OF OPERATING CYCLES, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID DRIVE CONNECTION TO VARY SAID INTERMITTENT ROTATION TO ADJUST THE LENGTH OF MATERIAL THUS FED BETWEEN EACH OPERATING CYCLE, AND MEANS OPERABLE TO RELEASE THE ROLL FEED FROM SHEET MATERIAL ENGAGEMENT FOR PREDETERMINED INDEPENDENTLY ADJUSTABLE TIME PERIODS BETWEEN FEEDING CYCLES COMPRISING A ROLL RELEASE SHAFT DRIVEN FROM SAID POWER PRESS IN TIMED RELATION WITH OPERATING CYCLES THEREOF, AN ECCENTRIC ON SAID SHAFT, AND MEANS CONNECTING THE SAME WITH SAID RELEASE MEANS FOR OPERATING THE LATTER, SAID ECCENTRIC INCLUDING MEANS FOR ANGULARLY ADJUSTING THE SAME ON SAID SHAFT FOR VARYING THE TIMING OF THE RELEASE OPERATING MEANS WITH RESPECT TO THE PRESS OPERATING CYCLE, SAID CONNECTING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE EFFECTIVE LENGTH THEREOF TO VARY THE RELATIVE DURATION OF THE RELEASE PERIOD. 